With Ease 2 - from pattern fitting to pattern drafting knit garments
A knit sewing adventure for the curious sewist! Get the fit down and then hack the pattern into new designs (my favorite!)
With Ease 2 runs from
February - May 2025
Workshop Summary
Ok. Ready for this!? This is my favorite thing to teach, fitting and then hacking.
Because, honestly, we've all seen a commercial sewing pattern and thought to ourselves...hmmm, I wish it had this type of sleeve or this kind of neckline instead. OR, we've seen a garment in the wild or on pinterest and wanted to recreate it for ourselves. In fact, that's exactly how this class came to be. I stumbled upon this blue velvet inspiration image and wanted to create one for my own unique body...and show you how, and it snow balled from there!
I LOVE teaching you how to get a garment fitted well to your body and then empower you to take those basic shapes and turn them into something new! Allowing you to both gain confidence in sewing from a pattern and be the designer yourself!
In this live, 8-session, virtual workshop, I'll take you through choosing the right fabric, sewing with knits (it's almost all I sew with), choosing your size and making changes to the pattern before you begin, working on the fit and then...and this is the exciting part...using that pattern as a starting point for a new dresses! (not a dress fan? No worries, all of these designs could easily become tops or tunics!)
In With Ease 2, you'll learn how to fit a raglan sleeve basic knit pattern to your body and then take that pattern to make three new garments.
~ A cozy cowl-neck, princess seam tunic with pockets...perfect for a snowshoe adventure or nestled by the fire!
~ An inspired button-up, pleated dress with a gathered skirt tucking into a neat waistband.
~ And finally, a sultry little date night number with a v-neck yoke, 3/4 bishop sleeves, cut away pockets with a pocket stay and a jaunty little peplum!
This workshop will be intimate and live and you can jump in at anytime with questions or comments. Just like you were at an in-person workshop, but from your own home. And there will be recordings!
The class will be held in 8 sessions, for a total of 12 hours of class time. You'll also have access to our private community where you can post pictures and videos, leaves messages or comments and both get assistance and connect with other students. I am also happy to answer email questions directly!
This workshop is going to seriously up your superhero sewing skills!
Workshop Dates -
*subject to change
Saturday, February 22nd, 10am-12pm (EST) - Class 1 - The basic knit dress pattern, choosing your size and sewing the trickier bits
Tuesday, March 4th, 5:30pm-6:30pm (EST) - fitting class 1 - Basic knit dress - fitting and Q&A
Saturday, March 22nd, 10am-12pm (EST) - Class 2
Tuesday, April 1st, 5:30pm-6:30pm (EST) - fitting class 2
Saturday, April 12th, 10am-12pm (EST) - Class 3
Tuesday, April 22nd, 5:30pm-6:30pm (EST) - fitting class 3
Saturday, May 10th, 10am-12pm (EST) - Class 4
Tuesday, May 20th, 5:30pm-6:30pm (EST) - fitting class 4
What you will learn...
- how to choose your size and make fit adjustments before you begin (worth it's weight in gold!)
- how to sew knit fabrics and choose fabric for the kind of look you want
- fit a knit garment to your body, taking into account your style and fit preferences
- finish a knit neckline and hemming the garment
- pattern drafting or hacking! (taking an existing pattern and changing it into the garment of your dreams)
- how to manipulate the pattern and become the designer!
- dream big and make it happen!
skill level - adventurous beginner who's
sewn a few garments!
We'll start the very versatile and oh so comfortable raglan sleeve dress (or tunic or shirt...you decide!)
The raglan dress is a wardrobe staple for me.
I have short sleeve dresses, long sleeve dresses with cuffs, fit and flare dresses created from the raglan bodice using lace for the sleeves, cozy sweater knit dresses. T-shirts, long and short sleeve. Long john tops made with cozy merino wool jersey. You get the idea.
It's easily the most often worn pattern in my closet.
Raglan sleeves lend themselves to great movement in the arm and with some color blocking or adding in lace, you can switch up the basic pattern completely very quickly.
Once we get this basic fitted to your body, we'll move on to the sweet designs below. Each one designed to teach different technqiues!
This workshop will include worksheets to help you through the design process, in addition to the live class and community...but you get take this at your own pace.
You may choose to try out only one or two pattern changes at a time. That's perfect!
Altered design 1
Cozy cowl neck tunic!
Drafting skills you'll learn...
- creating a cowl neck that drapes over the shoulder
- adding princess seams to a raglan sleeve bodice
- adding cuffs to a sleeve
- sizing up the sleeve for extra coziness and layering
- adding a cuffed band to the hem
- adding pocket to the princess seams with a non-annoying pocket bag!
Altered design 2
Pleated, day-in-town,Dress
Drafting skills you'll learn...
- adding a button (or snaps) placket to a bodice
- sewing pleats to a bodice
- drafting a fitted waistband
- creating a gathered skirt out of a slim skirt
Altered design 3
Sultry date-night dress!
Drafting skills you'll learn...
- creating a v-neck yoke with buttons
- adding box pleats into a bodice at the yoke
- creating bishop sleeves
- slimming down a skirt
- adding cut-away pockets with a glorious pocket stay
- adding a jaunty peplum to the hem
What you'll need for the workshop ...
- internet connection and a device to join the Zoom call on
- a sewing machine and all it's bits and pieces (don't have an owner's manual...get one, ASAP!)
- sewing kit - including bobbins, fabric shears, paper scissors, seam ripper
Materials
- Knit fabric for 4-5 dresses - the raglan dress requires at least 2-3 yards, as does each subsequent dress. (we'll talk more about fabric in our first class). I'll give recommendations for the type knit fabric for each design in the workshop.
About the class
- Classes will be live and recorded.
- I will be teaching the classes from my home sewing studio and will provide a space to learn that is open, kind-hearted and full of more good information than you may want! ;-)
- Classes will be recorded and made available to watch within 24 hours.
- I will be available for questions via email or on our private community space. Please ask me questions (it makes me feel important!).
- This class is your time, so come with questions!
- You can join the classes via computer, tablet or phone, but the larger the screen the more easily you'll see what's happening.
- and to that end, I'll be using two cameras to ensure that you can see what's happening!
- The registration cost includes 12 hours of class time, access to the recorded videos, pre-recoprded videos, the basic pattern, and the ability to reach out to me for one-on-one help and a private community.
Course Pricing
With Ease (season 2) - payment plan
4 payments of
per month
-
4 monthly payments of $58. For With Ease 2.
With Ease (season 2) - Pay in Full
-
Register for the spring 2025 season of With Ease
Returns / Refunds
There are no refunds or returns on live virtual workshops. In order to have an intimate, personal sewing experience and have the kind of interaction I want us to have, the number of students that can enroll in the workshop is very limited. Once you register for the workshop your space is held for you whether you attend or not.
If you are unable to attend the live workshop, the recordings will be avilable to you as well as the community (for as long as it's live) and I always weclome email questions as you work on fit and construction.
